


Naming

by LookingForShadows



Series: The Lioness Exquisite [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Deathly Hallows missing moment, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4953283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LookingForShadows/pseuds/LookingForShadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A visit from Tonks keeps Ginny from going mad at Auntie Muriel's house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Naming

Without the Trace, she had been able to do few things that wouldn’t attract the attention of the Ministry anyway – a simple _Silencio_ , some color-changing spells (namely to the heavy draperies, tapestry, bed curtains, and quilt in her room at this awful place to a comforting Gryffindor scheme). Today, she was practicing her Summoning spells – on balled-up pieces of parchment she threw out of the window. It gave her something to do, and more importantly, whenever an owl whizzed by here on the way to any of the various Death Eaters’ houses in the area – the North Country seemed to be a popular place for old estates – the owl could be captured. Every bit, after all, helped.

The Parkinson, Carrow, and Gibbons families all lived within a few hours, and with the combination of Ministry owls flying their way and Hogwarts owls coming from the north (where Ginny’s bedroom window so helpfully faced), she had made owl-interception her own personal business.

Passing owls were few today, which generally meant that it was a Sunday and she could sleep or listen to Auntie Muriel preach all the way through breakfast. 

She had, of course, chosen to sleep.

“Ginny?” 

Ginny looked up from the window, where another parchment ball dropped to the ground and burst into a wide grin when she saw who was at the door. “Tonks! Oh, it’s so good to see you – how are you?”

Tonks leaned against the doorjamb, grinning widely, a t-shirt featuring the Weird Sisters’ lead singer stretching over her prominent belly. She placed one hand gently over it, caressing, and sat down in the ancient wing chair. “You don’t mind if I sit, do you? This child is climbing my rib cage, I swear, and it’s so difficult to stand –”

“Be my guest,” Ginny said, waving one hand. “Oh, it’s good to see someone who doesn’t have red hair – or white, come to that.” She thought of the old bat who was their host but dismissed that quickly. “How are you?”

“Much less fragile than everyone thinks,” Tonks said wryly. “Remus is treating me like some sort of delicate piece of china. Mum says that’s the way Dad...” Here her voice faltered, and Ginny moved over on the bed and patted the space next to her. “How are you, Ginny?”

“I’m...” she said once Tonks was settled next to her. “Doing well.”

Tonks gave her a scathing glare.

“I’ve been better.” She sighed. “I miss being at Hogwarts and such. Even if I would have been captured in the first place, like Luna – Luna Lovegood – it would have made me feel better. Y’know? It’s...difficult. I hate being trapped here.”

“Have you done anything about it?” Typical Aurors, doing things before thinking.

“Well....” Yes, better tell someone before she bursts. “I broke the Trace. On myself, and my wand. And I can’t do much, but it’s enough.”

“Ginevra Weasley!” Tonks looked aghast. “Oh, I wish I knew your middle name, I’ve got this great curse I’m tempted to set on you. Why in the world, and how in Merlin’s name could you do that?” 

“Old spell.” She doesn’t say that it was one of Rowena Ravenclaw’s – lots of her spells these days are banned because they’re rather dangerous to the caster, or against Ministry laws, or both. “About a thousand years old.”

Tonks shook her head. “The day you obey the rules will be the day this little one stops kicking me.”

She laughed. It was such a change, to laugh and to have someone to talk to, instead of keeping eagle eyes scanning the skies. It’s become old hat to recognized Dillusioned owls.

“Don’t I wish it wasn’t true! In any case, your mum wanted me to nab you and for the two of us to go to the kitchen. Remus is here, too. Mum wouldn’t come.”

“What mothers don’t know won’t hurt them, really.”

“That’s the spirit!” Tonks said with a laugh. “So, let me guess. You want to know if it’s a boy or girl, right?”

Ginny nodded, a light blush spreading over her face. 

“Don’t know yet,” Tonks said cheerfully, clearly happy to annoy another person with her answer. “We’ve been looking at all the baby books we can get our hands on, though. I found the one where Mum came up with Nymphadora. It’s got a lot of stars next to it.” She made a face. “I’d name every child It, if I could. At least no one would have pronunciation troubles.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Go on!”

“Edward Remus,” Tonks said quietly, “after my dad. Teddy, for short. If it’s a boy, of course. And Charlotte Andromeda, if it’s a girl. For both our mothers, after a fashion. I am not naming any girl Nymphadora. Even as a middle name. It’s a ridiculous burden no one should ever have to carry.”

“Teddy or Charlotte,” Ginny mused aloud. “I like it. Would call the girl Lottie or Charlie or something?”

“GINNY!”

“Call of the wild,” Ginny remarked under her breath. Tonks muffled her laughter with a throw pillow. “She’s convinced I’m spending too much time in my room.”

“Maybe you are,” Tonks shrugged. “And to answer to your question – not Lottie. That’s ridiculously feminine.”

It was Ginny’s turn to laugh as they closed the door to her room. “Ridiculously feminine. I like that.”

“I do, too.” Tonks smiled at the younger girl and winked before they turned into the main wing of the house.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this several years ago, when Remus's parents' names were still unknown. To keep the frame of the dialogue, I've chosen to believe that his mother's full name was Hope Charlotte Howell; the reference to 'for both our mothers' will make more sense knowing that.


End file.
